Chapter 18: The Battle Line Drawn

The score was even, one to one between Ted and Randy. With Survivor Series only 6 days away, the two had been warned that they could not touch each other before the match. It was something the two had come to understanding about and loved the relevance of it. It made them want the other more to just shred apart in the ring when the time came on Sunday.

Ted spent his time with Vanessa and training his hardest than he ever thought he'd train. He had been busy with training that he gained 6 pounds in solid muscle. There was no way he was going to allow himself to lose to Randy Orton; he was going to stake his claim in the WWE and if it required taking down his old leader, the man who punted him in the head and lead him the way through most of his WWE career, then so be it he will come out on top.

However across the scene, Randy wasn't focused on Sunday. There was no way he was going to focus on Survivor Series when his former protégé used his own finisher to take him out and cost him his match against the current WWE Champion. The red had taken over his sight for days; Theodore Marvin DiBiase Jr was going to pay and it was going to hurt.

The question was how to do it. Would Randy call up Ted's father and convince him to come and see his son fight his last match before he possibly becomes the main man in WWE? Would he lure in his younger brother in training, Brett DiBiase and tell him he'd train him so he can come up and be with his brother quicker? Would he find a way to get Ted by himself and take him out before the match, crushing his little dreams of chasing WWE gold? Would he end it all for poor little Ted and his dreams?

The look on Ted's face would be what he used to call himself at one point in time; his face would be priceless when he would have to sit in the doctor's office backstage and hear him say that he's not medically fit and cleared to fight on Sunday. His world would shatter like glass around him and that little....

.....bitch....

The mere thought bought the red brighter in his vision and an evil smirk on his face. Of course, he thought to himself before walking out of his locker room for his match-up against rising star Kofi Kingston. If it's a war that Ted and Vanessa want, then Randy was going to bring the heavy artillery.

____________________________________________

Ted match against Evan Bourne was a good one, but also a quick one. As Ted's hand was raised as the victor in the match, Randy's music cued. Ted's of blue focused on the man coming down the ramp with a microphone in his hand.

Ted motioned for Randy to 'bring it on' and was waiting for the viper to strike. Instead Randy lifted the microphone to his mouth and began to speak.

"Now, now DiBiase, you know the deal of our contract. We cannot physically come into contact with each other one week before our match-up at Survivor Series" Randy started as the crowd continued to boo him. The smirk on his face grew wider and wider as he paced closer and closer to his opponent.

Suddenly, Randy stopped in his tracks. "However that doesn't mean someone else can't do the dirty work for me..." he bellowed before Ted turned around and saw his former Legacy brethren, Cody Rhodes coming at him full force, tackling him down to the ground.

Randy slid into the ring and hovered over Ted who was doubled over, holding on to his stomach and trying to catch his breath. An evil chuckle rose from Randy's throat and into the microphone. "Is it just me, or does this seems like a really weird case of Déjà vu...Ted?"

Ted slowly began to rise to his feet when Cody tackled him down once more. The injured and battered body of Ted was dragged to the turnbuckle where he was handcuffed. Steel steps were pushed into the ring and Randy turned to the ramp.

"Vanessa...let's try this one more time. I want you out here...NOW or your precious little love, ol' Teddy boy here, will not make it to Sunday" Randy yelled into the microphone.

Ted screamed for Vanessa to not come out to the obvious trap. Screw the title, screw this war, Ted didn't want Vanessa to be harmed. Ted began jerking at the cuffs, hoping it would give way and he'd be able to protect Vanessa.

Ted had it mapped out, take out Cody first, leaving just him and Randy in the ring to help out Vanessa before she gets hurt.

His pleads for Vanessa to not come out was futile and unheard. Vanessa was seen at the top of the ramp, composure better than the last time they had encountered this situation. She stood there, waiting for her to be beckoned down. Slowly Vanessa walked down to the ring and stood outside of it.

Ted began to scream for Vanessa to go back, but before he got his sentence completely out of his mouth, he felt Cody's boot come into contact with his skull, dazing and blurring his vision momentarily.

His vision was screwed. All he could see was figures moving around him, lights shining brightly, but also blurry. The crowd reaction was all he could feed on. They were going frantic. What was happening? Then locks of brown and a touch he could never forget was near. Blinking hard, he tried to make out as much of Vanessa as he could. She was in the ring.

Ted opened his mouth to say run out of the ring, when his vision cleared and came back to him. Suddenly bands gripped the back of Vanessa's head and lifted her to her feet. Ted felt and anger he had never felt before rise in him like vomit. It burned his throat and left a horrible taste in his mouth. Everything seemed to slow down and he watched the scene in slow motion.

Randy hit his vintage reverse backbreaker on Vanessa, causing her to scream in pain. The look of agony sent a pain through Ted's chest, as if his heart was breaking because he couldn't keep his promise to keep her safe.

Ted yelled out to Vanessa, reaching out as far as he could to try and pull Vanessa into his arms. As he reached, Cody began to punch him in the head, making Ted's vision blur momentarily, only to come back to clear vision and the sight of Vanessa being RKOed into the mat, hard.

This was a new low for Randy and a whole new battlefield when it came to Sunday. To Ted, it was no longer about a battle of Legacy vs. McMahon, or even a quest for WWE gold. Now it became a war, a war that Ted WASN'T going to allow himself to lose.